Jacquard looms and broadlooms are well known. They have many moving parts, resulting in many wearing parts. They require many people to operate each machine, and require considerable power in operation.
An object of the invention is to provide a loom which is very sturdy, strong and practically breakdown free.
Another object is to provide a carpet loom that operates much faster than prior-art looms and so can produce a greater volume of carpeting than prior-art looms. When compared to the "Jacquard loom", the new loom is at least ten times faster, and the product is of equal or better appearance.
Another object of the invention is to provide a loom with greater versatility, having the ability to produce a variety of types and designs of carpeting.
Another object is to provide a loom with the capability of making wall-coverings, tapestries, and curtains, any of which can provide a unique design pattern.
In comparison with the Jacquard loom, the loom of this invention is more dependable, sturdier, and stronger. It offers minimum down time, is faster and can produce up to ten times more carpeting in the same time, and produces carpetry and other products of the highest quality and best appearance. Its products are equal to or better to those of the Jacquard loom, and enables more variety of types and designs. Furthermore, changes in pile height and density can be made while the device is in operation, using computer control through solenoids or similar apparatus.
The loom of this invention, when compared to the broadloom (which is the fastest loom heretofore made), has many advantages. It is as fast as the broadloom and it can produce as much product per unit time as the broadloom; however, it does this at a much lower cost.
An important determining factor is the efficiency, output, and final cost of finished product, not simply the speed of the machinery.
While cost of material is about the same for both types of machines, the labor cost is very different. For example, each broadloom typically, requires nine persons, from start to finish, on its production line, whereas the loom of this invention requires only three persons for its complete production line, a savings of over 60% in labor.
It is known that a broadloom makes only a small variety of weaves, usually the solid, high-low, shags, and diamond types; whereas the loom of the present invention can make not only the solids, high-lows, shags, and diamond types, but also more intricate designs and weaves, including but not limited to those above. It can make various weights, textures, and designs of carpets, tapestry, curtain cloth, and wall coverings.
The loom of this invention also has the advantage of being much more sturdy, being inherently made to give low maintenance costs, and is almost breakdown-free. This, of course, reduces costs, because the loom can operate on a twenty-four hour continuous basis, longer than any of the comparable prior-art looms.
The invention has been designed to reduce breakdowns by having far fewer moving parts than prior-art looms of this type--actually about 75% fewer moving parts. Therefore, the loom of the present invention is more efficient, less costly and more productive than earlier looms.
In summary, the loom of the present invention, when compared to the broadloom, is superior overall, especially when considering the following points:
A. It is sturdier, stronger and more dependable, because of its design and construction.
B. It has a more efficient and productive capacity because it breaks down less often and it produces more carpeting; also its production line is less complicated.
C. Its carpet is of an equal or better quality in its appearance.
D. Its variety of the types designs and lengths of products, is much superior to prior-art looms, for it can match and surpass both the Jacquard and broadloom devices.
E. These new looms are in all cases, more economical than prior-art looms, the greatest savings resulting from savings in labor costs, maintenance costs, and down-time.
For example, the labor savings is expected to be at least 60%. Moreover, since the machine is constructed of sturdy material and has fewer moving parts, the maintenance required is less than 80% than that for prior-art looms of comparable capabilities. Further the new loom has the advantage that because of its design and construction, especially its fewer moving parts and its strong material construction, the wear is minimal. Parts that do wear can be readily available, and replacement can be made in minutes, not hours or days. It is therefore realistic to predict that the "down-time" of this new loom, will be, at a maximum, about 5% of its competition, or 95% less than its competitors.